Dreaming About a New Cartridge

JackD201 · Nov 3, 2011

Of the Koetsu Stone bodies, my favorite is the Blue Lace. I'm still kicking myself for not jumping at the chance to acquire one before the price rose to where it is now. To me it has the sweetest, most finely nuanced highs of the line up. The Coral stone has the most fleshed out midrange and the Jade and Onyx the tightest bass. Amazing how the bodies can impart such differences in the sounds given identical innards.

I'm afraid of the diamond cantilevers since I have been known to be a bit clumsy at times.

jadis · Nov 3, 2011

JackD201 said:
Of the Koetsu Stone bodies, my favorite is the Blue Lace. I'm still kicking myself for not jumping at the chance to acquire one before the price rose to where it is now. To me it has the sweetest, most finely nuanced highs of the line up. The Coral stone has the most fleshed out midrange and the Jade and Onyx the tightest bass. Amazing how the bodies can impart such differences in the sounds given identical innards.

I'm afraid of the diamond cantilevers since I have been known to be a bit clumsy at times.

Yeah Jack, amazing indeed how these stones can have different 'sounds' when their innards are basically the same. $20,000 for a blue stone that does not even weigh more than 15 grams! Boy, is that the price of jewelry or what.

Plus with the diamond cantilever option, it becomes $24,000 and the weight is still the same.

I am indeed fortunate for having the pleasure of touching and hearing most of these models in my own home and in friends' place and I agree with your findings too. One character I found common in the Tiger Eye, Blue Lace and Coralstone is 'speed'. They can be fast and can belie the 'stereotyped Koetsu' sound that is 'slow and tubby' in the bass area. They have speed and at the same time finesse and refinement. And talking about butterfingers and clumsiness, I had a brief and near fatal brush with a broken Koetsu when I accidentally dropped my LAST record brush into my spinning record but luckily before it can make a full spin to hit my Rosewood still on the cue up, I was able to miraculously nab it, saving myself $$$$ in rebuilding cost, etc. Oh sometimes I think of the 'servers' and how these cardiac things can never happen to them.

JackD201 · Nov 3, 2011

To think I could have scored the Blue Lace from randy for _________!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Aaaaaaaarghhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!

jadis · Nov 3, 2011

JackD201 said:
To think I could have scored the Blue Lace from randy for _________!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Aaaaaaaarghhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yeah Jack. But we were not equipped with the crystal ball.

MylesBAstor · Nov 3, 2011

jadis said:
Yeah Jack, amazing indeed how these stones can have different 'sounds' when their innards are basically the same. $20,000 for a blue stone that does not even weigh more than 15 grams! Boy, is that the price of jewelry or what. Plus with the diamond cantilever option, it becomes $24,000 and the weight is still the same. I am indeed fortunate for having the pleasure of touching and hearing most of these models in my own home and in friends' place and I agree with your findings too. One character I found common in the Tiger Eye, Blue Lace and Coralstone is 'speed'. They can be fast and can belie the 'stereotyped Koetsu' sound that is 'slow and tubby' in the bass area. They have speed and at the same time finesse and refinement. And talking about butterfingers and clumsiness, I had a brief and near fatal brush with a broken Koetsu when I accidentally dropped my LAST record brush into my spinning record but luckily before it can make a full spin to hit my Rosewood still on the cue up, I was able to miraculously nab it, saving myself $$$$ in rebuilding cost, etc. Oh sometimes I think of the 'servers' and how these cardiac things can never happen to them.

See that's why I need to hear these new stone bodied Koetsus. I totally agree with everything you said about the wood bodied cartridges. Slow to the point of sound a beat behind. Not much in the way of upper octave extension and ill defined bass. A lot to pay for just some midrange---and esp. there are other cartridges with basically better overall sonics.

jadis · Nov 3, 2011

MylesBAstor said:
See that's why I need to hear these new stone bodied Koetsus. I totally agree with everything you said about the wood bodied cartridges. Slow to the point of sound a beat behind. Not much in the way of upper octave extension and ill defined bass. A lot to pay for just some midrange---and esp. there are other cartridges with basically better overall sonics.

Though I must say that the present crop of wood bodies are better in the extremes than the older wood bodies, even the long-body model, but some say the older wood represents the true blue midrange of Yoshiaki Sugano's legacy.

XV-1 · Nov 17, 2011

Cost and perceived sound no object. Koetsu Coralstone and most expensive Soundsmith Strain cart and phono stage.

Really looking forward to the new Lyra Atlas.

MylesBAstor · Nov 17, 2011

turntable said:
Cost and perceived sound no object. Koetsu Coralstone and most expensive Soundsmith Strain cart and phono stage.

Really looking forward to the new Lyra Atlas.

I think everyone is waiting with baited breath to see what Jonathan's hands have forged

I think a lot of people want to hear Peter's newest creation using a cactus needle cantilever

IIRC, you play a lot of rock. Do you think the Coralstone is up to the task?

XV-1 · Nov 17, 2011

MylesBAstor said:
I think everyone is waiting with baited breath to see what Jonathan's hands have forged

I think a lot of people want to hear Peter's newest creation using a cactus needle cantilever

IIRC, you play a lot of rock. Do you think the Coralstone is up to the task?

Myles,

Yes, Jonathon has spent considerable time designing what he considers his maximum effort. Lets hope he pulls it off.
I think Mishima-san's hand's may have a greater influence on what we individuals will hear, after all he builds them.

Personally I would not spend my $$ on the risk of a Coralstone.
But we are dreaming right?, I did say cost and performance no object. So I would luv to see if the Croalstone could play rock and electronic - I think it probably could. We know that it will do justice to blues, jazz and alike.

I would also luv to hear a Fidelity Research FR-7fs

JackD201 · Nov 17, 2011

I just resurrected my ZYX Airy 3 S after a long hiatus. I mounted it on a Rock 7 with Excaliber 3 Arm and have it hooked up to a Lamm LP2 with the new optional 1:32 Step Up Transformer. Spent the evening listening to some Gaucho and some Clarity Witches Brew 45s. I always liked the very solid ZYX mid bass punch. This "budget" table has that dense and fat brit sound. Sondek on 'roids. I have a new rocker table. Kinda cute because from a distance it looks a bit like a Midget TW AC-3. It doesn't have the extended decays of the TW that can sometimes pick everything rock or pop apart too much but the somewhat dark and full sound sure guarantees this rig can boogie.

Now where's that Apollo and Orpheus? Grrrrrrrrrrrrr.

mullard88 · Nov 22, 2011

Post # 7 caught my attention and I thought I would share my experience in trying to acquire a Miyabi customized cartridge. About two years ago, I put in an order for a nude custom Miyabi cartridge. After a long wait, I got word that the cartridge has been built. Unfortunately, Takeda San was not happy with the sound and would not release the cartridge. However, if I agree to change my order to a cartridge with a semi nude body of some fossilized bone, there is a chance that the sound quality will pass the standards of Takeda San. So, after accepting this change, I got word at about Easter time this year that the semi nude fossilized bone cartridge has been built. Unfortunately again, Takeda San was not happy with the sound and is not releasing the cartridge. It was then suggested to me that I simply take back my downpayment and forget about my order for a customized Miyabi.

MylesBAstor · Nov 22, 2011

mullard88 said:
Post # 7 caught my attention and I thought I would share my experience in trying to acquire a Miyabi customized cartridge. About two years ago, I put in an order for a nude custom Miyabi cartridge. After a long wait, I got word that the cartridge has been built. Unfortunately, Takeda San was not happy with the sound and would not release the cartridge. However, if I agree to change my order to a cartridge with a semi nude body of some fossilized bone, there is a chance that the sound quality will pass the standards of Takeda San. So, after accepting this change, I got word at about Easter time this year that the semi nude fossilized bone cartridge has been built. Unfortunately again, Takeda San was not happy with the sound and is not releasing the cartridge. It was then suggested to me that I simply take back my downpayment and forget about my order for a customized Miyabi.

Damn now that's frustrating. Given, however, all the new and coming cartridges on the market, you won't be left without a second choice

mep · Nov 22, 2011

mullard88 said:
Post # 7 caught my attention and I thought I would share my experience in trying to acquire a Miyabi customized cartridge. About two years ago, I put in an order for a nude custom Miyabi cartridge. After a long wait, I got word that the cartridge has been built. Unfortunately, Takeda San was not happy with the sound and would not release the cartridge. However, if I agree to change my order to a cartridge with a semi nude body of some fossilized bone, there is a chance that the sound quality will pass the standards of Takeda San. So, after accepting this change, I got word at about Easter time this year that the semi nude fossilized bone cartridge has been built. Unfortunately again, Takeda San was not happy with the sound and is not releasing the cartridge. It was then suggested to me that I simply take back my downpayment and forget about my order for a customized Miyabi.

After waiting two years, I would think you have a fossilized bone to pick with them. Were they waiting for the bone to fosslize before they could build your cartridge?

FrantzM · Nov 22, 2011

mep said:
After waiting two years, I would think you have a fossilized bone to pick with them. Were they waiting for the bone to fosslize before they could build your cartridge?

mullard88 · Nov 23, 2011

Hi Myles,

It was frustrating but I am sure there will be cartridges in the future that will lure me to acquire them. I don't hold anything against Takeda San and hope that a miracle in that he may one day surprise me with one of his customized cartridges. In the meantime, my attention has shifted to a pair of Magnepan 1.6 QR that a friend has modified, the Spectral DMC 30 SS2 linestage and the ongoing search for the amp to put between the Spectral and Magnepan. So far the most satisfying amp I have tried is the Audio Research 150.2.

Hi mep,

Takeda San was not waiting for the bone to fossilize. I was told the fossilized bone cartridge was built but that Takeda San refuses to release products that he is not satisfied with. There is no telling how much longer the wait might be. My own skeleton might become a fossilized bone just like the body of the cartridge if I continued to wait. I have no bones to pick with Takeda San. I just hope he remembers me if he ever figures out a way to make this cartridge's sonics acceptable to him or if he creates another customized cartridge. This sort of situation can occure anytime one orders a customized product. At least, I got my deposit back in full.

JackD201 · Nov 24, 2011

Hi Mullard,

I ordered your resistor as advised by Bogart and Super Mario. Sad to hear about your Miyabi misfortunes. On the other hand, you've got a bevy of great carts on rotation as is. Have you tried the Forsell's on your Modded 1.6QRs yet?

flez007 · Nov 24, 2011

I have just changed course again and revamped my EMT 938, waiting for an EMT external cable to override the internal MM preamp and ready to order this one:

mullard88 · Nov 24, 2011

Hi JackD201,

I'm really losing my memory. I hope you don't mind if I ask what the resistors are for? My situation is not too bad. I have not been listening to lps lately as the Eera Tentation has my focus for the moment. I have not tried the Forsell amps on the modded 1.6 QRs yet. I'll install the Forsell when I make the next amp rotation and will invite you over.

JackD201 · Nov 24, 2011

Oh, maybe they are for Mario's M1.1s

I'll wait for the invite

mep · Nov 24, 2011

flez007 said:
I have just changed course again and revamped my EMT 938, waiting for an EMT external cable to override the internal MM preamp and ready to order this one:

So you decided to keep the table rather than selling it? What changed your mind?

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